My E-mail Experiment: An Update

I have enjoyed reading your email experiment and as a result you have peaked my interest in the book, so I downloaded it from audible and it will hit my listening device soon after I finish "Make it Stick". Keep up the good work. Breaking the email addiction is tough and I haven't come to that point yet, but you are pushing me towards that end.

I have to admit that I have not yet taken on the discpline of checking only twice a day, but you did inspire me to take the audio alert off so that I don't have a Pavlovian response every time the computer pings. That alone has significantly increased my productivity. I also now use looking at the e-mail as a reward for getting a project done.

One thing I have found when I look at a batch of e-mails is that I am much less likely to take the time to read e-mails for listservs I am on and have even taken myself off of quite a few lists.

All to the good!

It's interesting that you use the language of revival ("by God's grace, I keep getting up") and recovery ("I didn't realize how addicted I was") … and I don't think you're being totally facetious.

I tried this for one day and also realized "how addicted I was." What's weird is the low-level anxiety you get from not being able to check e-mail when you want to.

Now, like all addicts, I have a choice to make.

"Ding."

Well … gotta run.

Just here to cheer you on Mike. I admire you for trying. I'm not there yet, but your writing about it has caused me to think about my productivity level. Blessings. Phil

Glad to see it's working! I'm going to have to try the two minute rule.

You wrote: At my desk, just when I really begin thinking, I suddenly have the urge to check my e-mail.

Rachel: Yes! This is exactly what happens to me. I thought I was going nuts. I found working away from a place where I can't get on the internet (and I think I'll cross Blackberry off my Christmas list) I get so much more done! And, the temptation is gone because I know I can't check anything.

E-mail, even in the business world, is like social time. We get input, feedback, a touch from someone else instead of having to plow through our own weaknesses, dig in and work. :)

Happy 4th.

Rachel

Congratulations and God Bless Michael! Too many people fall into the trap of answering email all day long and later wonder where the day went. Don't confuse email with instant messaging. I carried a Blackberry back when hey first came out and would never carry one again (this includes smart phones).

Okay, I have to try this!

But is there anything else from the Ferriss book that you find useful? Do you recommend the book?

Doug,

I definitely recommend the book. I don't agree with everything, but it is very challenging!

Mike

Mike, I admire your discipline, and I'm sure if I could be more disciplined in managing my work time I would be more productive. But just the other day my boss came into my office asking for my response on an email that I hadn't even gotten a chance to read. I know it wasn't in my in-box more than 15 minutes. So how do I retrain his expectations?

Becca,

You have to remember what your boss wants: you to be as productive as possible. Therefore, you have to explain how responding twice a day will enable you to be more productive. I would also download this report:
http://www.changethis.com/34.04.LowInfo

I would suggest you share it with your boss. It distills the best parts of the 4-Hour Work Week.

Thanks,

Mike

Just finished reading "4 Hour Workweek" at suggestion of this blog.

Fun book – you have to take what you can from it, it's not like GTD where you can apply literally everything from it…but Ferris's book is worth the read. Definitely a "new economy" kind of book – but I think there's some valuable information in it.

Just my $.02 –

Michael –

Your blog influences me greatly and i wanted to make a quick point on your email experiment.

I have for the past 6 months configured Outlook to a send and receive every 1 hour

The problem is the expectations of your colleagues – for better or worse email has created a culture of "I want your response now" – sadly people think if you are on email you are working (and not when – you are reading!)

Kiran,

This is why you have to educate your colleagues and STOP the madness. See my e-mail auto-reply here. I hope this helps.

Mike

Mike,

Thanks for giving us all hope. Any advice for those of us who travel 3 or 4 days a week and have difficulty establishing a daily pattern?

Thanks,
Perry

Perry,

I think you can still establish a daily pattern, you just can't be as consistent with the time. Perhaps checking it first thing in the morning and last thing at night would work.

Mike

Michael –

Thanks for your reply (which incidentally i have as my signature and not auto responder)
While i agree with you, being a CEO has it's advantages i guess

But good luck to you on your endeavor. Hope it catches on

God bless your effort, but it would push me over the edge if I could only look at my email twice a day!

At the Director of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance with 150+ members, and publicists, and publishers emailing me on a daily basis, I'm lucky if I get away with anything under 200 emails a day!

I feel so pleased with myself when I obey my own goal and begin my day at my desk by reviewing my physical tickler file, saying something aloud about each item in my physical inbox, and only then, after getting my own self-generated input, complete the input by getting input from others, ie, checking my email.

It's helpful to see others with the same issues.

Thank you for this post, Michael. I really need to do something to cure my "habit" too, and this seems like just the thing. I might let myself check three times a day though. :)

Uso temperato delle mail

Come tutti sperimentiamo ogni giorno, una delle principali distrazioni che ci piombano addosso durante la nostra giornata lavorativa lincessante (spesso) bombardamento che riceviamo dallesterno fatto dalle e-mail ch

Mike, I was on vacation last week on the Gulf Coast of Florida and stayed at a resort promising WiFi Internet access. The connection was so slow that I never could download my 50-some-odd emails. At first this was frustrating, and then I realized it was a gift. The gift of disconnecting for a week! – John

Mike – After almost 3 months give or take, how has the experiment worked on your e-mail plan?

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